The 438th legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly drew to a close at midnight on April 9. In the final year of Governor Larry Hogan’s first term, and with at least 40 lawmakers seeking higher office next year or leaving the legislature entirely, there was an urgency for action that led to the introduction of over 3,000 bills. In a continuing effort to expand access to quality mental health and substance use disorder services, MHAMD and the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition navigated this deluge to achieve significant victories on a range of priority issues. All major initiatives advanced this year by the Coalition were adopted.

NAMI Prince George's County presents a new young adult support group for ages 18-24 years old. Group sessions will be held every 4th Saturday of the month at the office of Interdynamics, Inc 4601 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 100 Lanham, Maryland 20706.

Free To Attend

April 10, 2018

Stories of Hope and Triumph - Our Journeys to Mental Wellness

Hear stories from Prince George’s County residents living with or supporting a loved one with a mental health condition, its impact on their lives, obstacles and challenges to mental wellness, experiences with resources within Prince George’s County, and benefits of NAMI programs and activities. This dynamic panel discussion will be held May 2nd to commemorate National Mental Health Awareness Month at the Holy Family Catholic Church at 12010 Woodmore Road Mitchellville, MD 20721.

Earlier today, the House passed a bipartisan FY 2018 omnibus appropriations bill to fund the federal government through Sept. 30, 2018. The bill passed the House with a vote of 256-167 (90 Republicans and 77 Democrats voted against the bill). The Senate is expected to begin work on the bill immediately to prevent a government shutdown before the current continuing resolution ends on Friday.

In an effort to keep Prince Georgians safe and healthy please note that in its effort to keep Prince Georgians safe and healthy, the Prince George’s County Government has announced closures and shutdowns of various County buildings, operations, and services. Furthermore, per guidance from the Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding social distancing to reduce further risks of exposure to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), County buildings have been ordered to close its operations to the public until April 6, 2020.

Because the NAMI Prince George’s County (NAMI) Office is located in a County building (The Hanko Building, New Carrollton, MD), we are taking the following precautions for consistency with the COVID-19 policy of our strategic partner – the Prince George’s County Government.

Effective immediately:

The NAMI Office will be closed to all in-person visits until further notice. NAMI Staff may only continue to utilize the NAMI Office on a limited basis - for essential operational activities, on Wednesdays between the hours of 11:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Building Management has provided such kind permission reportedly due to the important work of NAMI in the County.

Staff experiencing any acute respiratory illness symptoms or the caretaker of a family member with such symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, headaches, flu-like symptoms, fever, cough or sneezing) are not authorized to enter the NAMI Office for any reason.

The NAMI Office is closed to Program Leaders and Volunteers until further notice

All in-person meetings with strategic partners and vendors, trainings, support groups, education programs, and community outreach events remain suspended until further notice.

We are currently working on alternatives to in-person support groups and education classes. Please expect to hear on our contingency plan developments very soon.

In the meantime, our NAMI Prince George’s County Helpline continues to operate under normal operations - Monday thru Friday, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. The Helpline is designed to help locate and connect residents with county mental health resources.

However, during this challenging time, the Helpline is being re-tooled to provide information on coping with Coronavirus by managing stress, fear, and anxiety. The Helpline is also ramping up to address general resident mental health-related inquiries regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also, please know that we care about each and every one of you! We also appreciate your support, understanding, and patience during these challenging times. We trust that we will get through the COVID-19 pandemic - together!

March 13, 2020

A Message from Executive Director JB Moore regarding COVID-19

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Dear Friends of NAMI Prince George's County,

On March 5th, Governor Hogan issued an emergency proclamation for the state of Maryland in response to the first confirmed case of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID -19) identified in our state.
The Prince George’s County Health Department has emphasized that the potential risk of illness to the general public is still low. However, residents are encouraged to practice social distancing – avoiding crowds and avoiding people who are sick.

As you can imagine, NAMI Prince George’s County is being confronted with a challenging situation related to the hosting of presentations, support groups and classes we offer to the local community.
We are tracking the COVID-19 developments and working on creating contingency plans to ensure the safety of our Board Members, Staff, Program Leaders, Volunteers, Membership, and Program Participants. Contingency plans will be consistent with our values – placing physical health, mental health, and safety above all – and will represent our best judgement as we adapt to this
rapidly changing situation.

Effective immediately, and out of an abundance of caution, we are implementing the following policies until further notice:

All NAMI Prince George's County Support Groups are postponed.

All NAMI Prince George’s County Education Programs are postponed.

Monthly Board of Directors/Memberships Meetings will be held byteleconference.

Please monitor the NAMI Prince George's Website for most up-to-date information and guidance concerning support groups and education classes.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Mild to severe respiratory illness, fever, cough, shortness of breath.

As residents, there are several things we can do to partner with County officials to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. We are encouraged to practice daily the preventative actions below:

Wash our hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.

Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

For those at higher risk, it is especially important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of exposure.

According to the CDC, higher-risk people are older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like lung, heart, or kidney disease. These groups are advised to take the following additional precautions:

Stay at home as much as possible.

When you go out in public, keep away from others who are sick, limit closecontact and wash your hands often.

Make sure you have access to several weeks of medications and supplies.

What can you do to support yourself?

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Avoid excessive exposure to media coverage of COVID-19.

Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs.

Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade.

Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do some other activities you enjoy to return to your normal life.

Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member.

Maintain healthy relationships.

Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking.

Our intention is to provide updates going forward to keep you well informed.
However, this is a rapidly evolving situation, so we encourage you to monitor the
websites below for the most up-to-date information and guidance:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
Information and updates about COVID-19 in Prince George’s County are available at health.mypgc.us/coronavirus. Residents can also call the County’s Health Department hotline at 301-883-6627 with questions or concerns about COVID-19.